Beneath the tranquil moonlight, two figures, so strikingly handsome they hardly seemed real, gazed at each other.
Hearing Kamiyado's words, Gojo Satoru raised an eyebrow. Finding the statement utterly absurd, he couldn't help letting out a soft laugh.
"Friends with the King of Curses? A thousand years ago? That sounds—seriously amusing! You've definitely got a good sense of humor in you."
Despite his relaxed expression and teasing tone, Gojo Satoru didn't doubt the truth in Kamiyado's words. His Six Eyes detected no trace of falsehood or deceit from this person...
This individual, who possessed the Six Eyes and the Limitless cursed technique just like him, might actually...
Unlikely as it sounded, Gojo Satoru reluctantly filed the possibility away as acceptable. He just found it a bit hard to fathom: "According to Jujutsu regulations passed down for a millennium, a Jujutsu Sorcerer's primary duty is to exorcise curses."
"As the head of the Gojo family, you should be upholding your responsibilities even more strictly."
"To become friends with a curse like Ryomen Sukuna? Isn't that just a bit too ridiculous~?"
Gojo Satoru turned back to Fushiguro Megumi, raising an eyebrow and recruiting some backup: "Megumi-chan, I'm right, aren't I?"
Fushiguro Megumi's expression froze. He grabbed Itadori and turned his head away, refusing to look at his goofy teacher.
Kamiyado let out a very soft sigh: "He wasn't like this originally..."
Gojo Satoru only caught a faint whisper and didn't hear it clearly. He turned back: "What did you say?"
Kamiyado narrowed his eyes, speaking in a flat tone as he answered his earlier question: "That's why I was expelled from the Gojo family and cast out of Jujutsu society."
"Simply because I walked alongside someone they call 'born carrying a curse'."
Gojo Satoru raised a hand to rub his chin, his eyes crinkling into a smile: "Ryomen Sukuna almost single-handedly wiped out the entire Jujutsu world, committing countless atrocities. Even after death, his corpse turned into mummified remains that became a source of increasing power for curses."
"To be crowned with the title of 'King of Curses,' wasn't Sukuna a slaughtering, heartless, and merciless monster?"
"To abandon the status of the Gojo family for him, to abandon the adoration of Jujutsu society—what on earth are you plotting?"
Status? Adoration? He hadn't felt a shred of either. Assassination attempts, on the other hand, there were plenty of those.
Kamiyado suddenly grasped the hilt of his katana, drawing the blade with a sharp, silver flash.
Gojo Satoru dropped his smile, watching the samurai sword as he quietly gathered cursed energy in his hand.
That was... a Special Grade Cursed Tool!
Yet Kamiyado didn't seem to have any intention of fighting. He merely gave the blade a swift flourish before holding it up to admire it in the moonlight.
A moment later, Kamiyado spoke slowly: "Perhaps... the history you have passed down for a thousand years is fundamentally wrong?"
"The one who truly participated in that war against the entire Jujutsu world was not Sukuna, but—me."
"Sukuna never killed a single person. At the very least, after I formed a binding vow with him, he never killed anyone."
Gojo Satoru fell silent for a moment, digesting a story that completely contradicted the history passed down since ancient times.
Kamiyado continued.
"The reason for killing? Simple. Those who kill others must be prepared to be killed themselves. That is all."
"Status? Fame? Jujutsu regulations? None of it matters."
"I lack empathy, but if anyone dares to harm my dearest friend..."
"I will go to any lengths to protect the person I wish to protect, and I will make them pay the price."
Gojo Satoru was speechless for a long time. He wanted to righteously refute the somewhat distorted worldview of this millennial senior, but he couldn't find the words.
Upon hearing Kamiyado's last sentence, his expression froze. The figure buried deep within his memory suddenly became vivid.
Geto... If it were you, I—
Gojo Satoru suddenly clenched his fists and said in a deep voice: "Even if what this dearest friend of yours intends to do would harm countless human beings, would you still stand by his side unconditionally?"
Kamiyado answered without the slightest hesitation: "I would."
"I would pay any price to pull him back onto the path alongside the world."
"If I fail, then I will stand by his side and make an enemy of the entire world."
Gojo Satoru smiled with a trace of mockery: "Well, you didn't succeed, did you? Ryomen Sukuna remains heinous, notorious, and infamous down through the ages..."
He seemed to take a perverse pleasure in trying to draw some emotion other than calm from this aloof "elder," but he failed.
Kamiyado remained impassive.
"Yes, I did fail... But I have another chance to start over."
"This time, I will not fail."
Another... chance to start over...
Gojo Satoru widened his eyes slightly, struck by a speechless numbness.
That's right... This person had another chance to start over, but what about him?
He lowered his gaze to his own open palms—palms that had once been stained with the blood of someone important.
Gojo Satoru remained lost in thought for a long time before he finally raised his head, his expression turning serious.
"Is that so? Well, that's truly unfortunate. I've decided to follow Jujutsu regulations and exorcise this young man as a curse."
"Regardless of whether the history of a thousand years ago is right or wrong, the undeniable fact remains that Ryomen Sukuna was passed down as a Special Grade Cursed Object and continues to cause countless deaths."
As he spoke, a crimson red light gradually condensed in his hand—the reversal of the Limitless cursed technique: "Red."
His target was none other than the clueless duo of Fushiguro and Itadori standing over there.
Kamiyado frowned slightly, using the Limitless cursed technique to instantly teleport in front of the two youths, placing himself between Gojo Satoru and them.
Seeing Kamiyado shield Fushiguro Megumi as well, a flicker of unfathomable light crossed Gojo Satoru's pretty eyes.
The glaring red light abruptly vanished. The serious and solemn Gojo Satoru disappeared, replaced once again by the goofy, blindfolded young man.
"Ooh-la-la! Don't be so tense! I was just kidding!"
Fushiguro Megumi and Itadori let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.
Gojo Satoru bounded over in a few long strides and reached out to pat Kamiyado's shoulder, only to be blocked by the Limitless cursed technique, unable to actually make contact.
His movement paused for a fraction of a second, finally experiencing that familiar sense of helplessness where everyone wanted to touch him, yet no one ever could.
He smoothly abandoned the attempt and turned to pat Fushiguro Megumi's shoulder instead.
Fushiguro's shoulder was still aching, and the heavy pat nearly sent him stumbling, almost causing him to curse out loud.
Following that, Gojo Satoru tossed the bag he had been carrying all along to Fushiguro Megumi, giving lighthearted and breezy instructions: "Megumi-chan, hold onto these edamame and cream-flavored Kikufuku for me."
"This is a Sendai specialty, and it's super delicious! I'm going to eat it on the Shinkansen ride back, so don't you dare lose it!"
"Take Itadori and head on ahead. I have something I want to discuss privately with Gojo... ah, no, Kamiyado-kun."
Internally complaining that his teacher had to buy snacks even while on a mission, Fushiguro pouted heavily, yet obediently dragged the still-clueless Itadori away.
Before the two could leave, Sukuna briefly seized control of Itadori's body for a few seconds and said to Kamiyado, "Remember to come find me."
Seeming to feel that this lacked his usual wildly arrogant and domineering image, Sukuna dropped his voice into a gorgeous, hoarse rumble and added a dark threat: "If you don't come, I'll kill this brat beside me!"
Fushiguro Megumi: ... Thanks a lot!
Kamiyado smiled gently: "I will find you. Please wait a little longer."
Satisfied with the answer, Sukuna returned control of the body to Itadori.
Regardless of how Itadori was currently complaining to Fushiguro about having another soul inside his body, these two had business of their own to discuss now.
Kamiyado looked at Gojo Satoru, and Gojo Satoru looked back at him.
After a moment of silence between them, Gojo Satoru suddenly said in a deep voice: "Perhaps... we could cooperate."